SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Walking in to a chorus of boos in a hostile environment, WEC featherweight champion Mike Brown (22-4 MMA, 4-0 WEC) had the unenviable task of validating his title by once again defeating one of the sport’s toughest and most-popular fighters in Urijah Faber (22-3 MMA, 7-2 WEC) – in “The California Kid’s” hometown.

And as the ARCO Arena crowd looked on, Brown did exactly that, turning a workman-like performance befitting of the Lynard Skynyrd tune, “Simple Man,” that accompanied the boos on the trip to the cage.

Faber started the bout as the aggressor. His right hand was sneaking by Brown’s defense nearly every time it was thrown, and “The California Kid” seemed primed to utilize his explosive quickness to overcome the famed strength and power of Brown. But as the round progressed, Faber instantly lost his most effective weapon when the speedy hand right hand was broken, rendering the tool ineffective.

It was that turn of events that lead to a decided shift in momentum. Forced to work in close range with elbows rather than blast away with straight right hands, Faber gave Brown the ability to close the distance and utilize his power in the clinch. While all three judges awarded Faber the first round, it was the last he’d claim.

Brown began to load up on his punches, and realized quickly the right hand was no longer being delivered. The heavier blows connected to the head and body of Faber, though the former champion never appeared in serious trouble.

Behind on points heading into the final round, Faber didn’t yield the fight. Two separate guillotine choke attempts brought the hometown crowd to its feet, but Brown slammed out of one and slipped away from another. It was too little, too late, and Brown was awarded a clear-cut, unanimous-decision win – though the bout was certainly closer than two 49-46 scores would indicate.

An emotional Brown praised his opponent following the bout.

“Urijah’s tough,” Brown said. “I just couldn’t really get my gloves on his head. He’s a world class fighter, but it was just my night again.”

Faber, fighting without all of his tools, angled for a potential third bout between the two.

“You guys know I like to go out there and bang [expletive] up,” Faber said. “My weapons were gone. I hurt both my hands and just stayed in there.

“I was all elbows after that, so I’d love to get back here in and get another shot at the title.”

While Brown has now validated his position as the world’s top 145-pounder by defeating Faber twice and manhandling Leonard Garcia, there will be no shortage of future opponents for him the WEC’s deep featherweight division.

Meanwhile, Faber finds himself in the position of the UFC’s Rich Franklin, having lost to the reigning title holder twice, and may need to consider a potential cut to 135-pounds or a difficult bulking up to lightweight.

Earlier in the evening, Brazilian featherweight Jose Aldo (15-1 MMA, 5-0 WEC) continued his ascension to the top of the WEC’s 145-pound division in stunning fashion.

After a touch of gloves, Aldo’s first attack of opponent Cub Swanson (13-3 MMA, 3-2 WEC) was a flying left knee to the face. Swanson ducked into the blow, and immediately curled into a ball on the mat. Aldo moved in with two meaningless punches to the turtled Swanson, who appeared to be acting completely through the motivation of self-preservation rather than any fighting technique.

The entire process took eight seconds, and it left Swanson with a gaping slash above his left eye.

Aldo celebrated wildly, and with five wins in 11 months in the WEC, the 22-year-old Nova Uniao fighter would appear ready to challenge immediately for the featherweight title.

Lightweight Donald Cerrone (10-1 MMA, 3-1 WEC), looking to rebound from his first career loss after January’s controversial bout with WEC champ Jamie Varner, was heavily favored in his bout with WEC newcomer James Krause (10-1 MMA, 0-1 WEC). And while Cerrone earned a first-round submission win, Krause represented himself well for most of the opening period.

While the pair traded fairly effective blows on the feet, Krause’s repeated takedowns kept the bout on the floor for most of the contest. The action there was entertaining, and Krause and Cerrone showed the grappling prowess that had earned the fighters eight submission wins each prior to Sunday night’s action. Cerrone was close on a trangle choke, an omo plata and a guillotine, but Krause successfully defended and reversed each hold.

After mercifully passing on what could have been a devastating knee as Krause slowly rose to his feet following a scramble, Cerrone instead scored a powerful right hand, dropping his opponent to the floor. Cerrone immediately pounced, took Krause’s back, and sunk in both hooks. While the rear-naked choke wasn’t immediately available, Cerrone remained patient and worked the hold in seconds later. Krause was forced to tap with 22 seconds left in the opening frame.

Following the bout, Cerrone said he never once considered sitting out while waiting for Varner to return from injury.

“That’s how I feel right now: anytime, anywhere,” Cerrone said.

Of course, a rematch of the prematurely ended WEC 38 bout is also at the top of Cerrone’s list of priorities.

“I think [Varner] is taking a lot away from me saying I don’t belong in there with him,” Cerrone said. “If I see Varner in the street, I’m going to punch him in the mouth – with his nice shiny suit.

Cerrone will certainly find himself on a short list of opponents for Varner when he’s medically cleared for action.

Just 20-years-old, featherweight Josh Grispi (13-1 MMA, 3-0 WEC) had already made an impact in the WEC with two first-round submission wins over Micah Miller and Mark Hominick. Tonight, he made an impact on the MMA landscape by handing the legendary Jens Pulver (22-12-1 MMA, 1-4 WEC) his fourth-straight loss.

While Pulver vowed to return to his old ways in the days leading up to the bout, the powerful left hand that has been the long-time hallmark of “Little Evil’s” career never surfaced. Instead, a takedown in the opening moments of the fight left Pulver in Grispi’s guard and his neck wrapped under the Massachusetts resident’s left arm.

Grispi refused to release the hold as the two lie on the floor, and Pulver did little to escape the guillotine choke. Pulver’s body went limp as he tapped with his left arm, and the bout was over just 33-seconds after it began.

Pulver did not immediately rise, either briefly unconscious from the hold or in shock from the emotion. Grispi patted the legend’s back, appearing to feel almost guilty for the quick victory.

After returning to his feet, an emotional Pulver took a lap around the cage, waving to the crowd while motioning a hand across his neck in the universal “I’m done” signal. The 10-year veteran backed off the claims slightly in his post-fight interview, but it was hardly a promise to carry on.

“I’m not one to say I’m retired, but I think I just ended in the same place I started,” Pulver said.

The win was Grispi’s sixth career victory earned in less than 60 seconds. Pulver has now dropped six of his past seven contests in a slide that may signal the end of the pioneer’s legendary career.

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